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The Carrie Diaries (The Carrie Diaries #1)

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50 · rating details · 14,849 ratings · 1,586 reviews

The Carrie Diaries is the coming-of-age story of one of the most iconic characters of our generation.

Before Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw was a small-town girl who knew she wanted more. She's ready for real life to start, but first she must navigate her senior year of high school. Up until now, Carrie and her friends have been inseparable. Then Sebastian Kydd comes int...more

ebook, 416 pages

Published April 27th 2010 by Balzer + Bray (first published 2010)

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Jun 28, 2011 Meg ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: e-books, z-2011-reads

If you are a SATC fan you will love this series! I think this is what most people are looking for when they read the actual book called "Sex in the City" and they are disappointed when they don't get it. This book just reads like an actual diary of a young Carrie Bradshaw, and of course since I love Carrie I love these books. She is the sweetest character ever to read about and she's fun too! I feel like she's just so real and that's what had made me a huge SATC fan for so long. I couldn't stop...more

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Jul 29, 2010 Tatiana rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: people who don't know what good YA literature is

Shelves: ya

Have no idea why I even bothered to open this book. I actually never liked Candace Bushnell's books I've read - Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle. I guess my enjoyment of the TV show affected my judgment?

This novel was a drivel and I couldn't get through more than 20 pages of it. Boring, superficial, directionless high school melodrama galore with personality-less characters and no sense of time or place. I don't think even the fans of the show will enjoy the novel because Carrie of The Carri ...more

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Nov 06, 2012 Jennifer Wardrip marked it as to-read-i-own-it · review of another edition

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, fiction, jen-owns, series-bk-1, teen

Reviewed by Angela S. for TeensReadToo.com

THE CARRIE DIARIES follows Carrie Bradshaw pre-Sex and the City.

Seventeen-year-old Carrie is just beginning her senior year in high school, and like all girls she falls for the gorgeous bad boy, Sebastian Kydd. Before long, Carrie and Sebastian are a couple - and the envy of the popular girls, who harass Carrie and make her life harder than it needs to be.

Besides Carrie's hot-and-cold relationship with Sebastian, she also has to deal with a huge secret h...more

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Jan 08, 2013 Sofía Cividanes rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Making the decision of picking a book to read during the Christmas break was not easy although in the end, basing myself on other people’s recommendations, I ended up reading this novel by Candace Bushnell, The Carrie Diaries. This novel is all about Carrie’s coming of age and the course of the twelfth grade with its ups and downs.
Throughout the book, the protagonist, Carrie encounters many obstacles. These issues vary from having a problematic sister to an unfaithful boyfriend that at points m...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Carrie zo strednej školy je iná ako Carrie, úspešná spisovateľka z New Yorku. Je to dievča, ktoré si ešte len hľadá svoje miesto na svete. Vyrovnáva sa so smrťou matky, bezradným otcom a prvou láskou Sebastianom. Býva v malom meste Castlebury a spolu so svojimi najlepšími priateľmi nastupuje do maturitného ročníka na strednej. Ale v niečom je svojej "budúcej" Carrie podobná - miluje písanie, svojich priateľov a v neposlednom rade je to citlivá žena, ktorá však má svoju hrdosť a nestojí v kúte, a...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Anita rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

THE CARRIE DIARIES is a coming of age novel regarding a young, small town girl with big dreams. Meet Carrie Bradshaw, before the glamour, before the glitz and before Sex and the City. Carrie starts out as an eager adolescent, mesmerized by pop culture, fashion and literature. However, with her senior year looming over her and her youngest sister constantly acting out, she finds it hard to find the perfect balance between her passions, boyfriend, and the expectations of her father. With the hunch...more

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Jul 10, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2010, read-in-2011

I have plenty of guilty pleasures and even though I call them that, I try not to feel too guilty about them. (Life's too short, right?) One of my biggest pleasures is reading teen and pre-teen literature. Another is the ridiculous joy that is Sex and the City. So reading The Carrie Diaries was like combining the two in one ultimate dream!

Well, not quite. But it was fun.

There are a few oddly glaring inconsistencies between the book and the TV series, however. In the series, she re-dates her hig...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Nice to see where Carrie comes from and how some of her personality forms. If you like Sex and the City you will probably like this. An easy read.

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Oct 11, 2010 Erica - Bonner Springs Library rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, ya, guilty-pleasure

3 1/2 stars. A totally guilty pleasure book for me. Fans of Sex & the City will enjoy this book.

The Carrie Diaries follows Carrie Bradshaw during her senior year of high school. She's exploring her path as a writer and a column in the high school paper helps her land her ultimate dream summer.

There is, of course, a boyfriend who gives her fits and causes her to constantly question herself as so many girls that age do. And there are her friends. The friends that have been friends for a long...more

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May 05, 2013 Josie Ikeda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So let me start by saying, if you're looking for a book that mirrors the new CW TV show, The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell is not the book for you. However, if you're looking for a nice easy summer read that leads into the epic Sex in the City series this is a perfect read! It is loosely related and includes most of the characters, but this is one story that has not been seen on TV.

We follow Carrie Bradshaw during her high school years. Carrie is a senior with her core group of friends. Th...more

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Apr 19, 2013 ♥ Innocent Lamb ~ Forever Reading ♥ rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There are some books that inspire you – that make you want to do something amazing. The kind of books that make you feel like you could go anywhere you want to – That anything really is possible. Then there are the books that make you cry til you can’t no more. The type of book that people recommend you don’t read in public unless you want people to see you start crying over the book. And then there’s this book.

The Carrie Diaries is about a girl (Carrie) as she goes through life… finishes her la...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Ellen Cohen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm a really big Sex and the City fan...but I am from Jamaica (the Caribbean) and our cultures being so different and smaller societies being so much more conservative, and I hadnt done as much travelling to really understand half of what the show was really about....I wasn't allowed to watch HBO (or cable fro that matter..with its profanity, nudity and explicit sexual contents) until well into my late teens. By the time I really got into watching these 4 girls and know about their many dating a...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. When I finished this book, I was left feeling somewhat disappointed.
There was a lot I liked about it, and a lot I hated.
I liked learning about Carrie before New York and her life as a successful writer but hated how much of a push over she was. I kept yelling at the her to stand up for herself and just tell them off.
And I might add that as soon as her so-called best friend was introduced I knew she would turn out to be a major bitch, who got what she deserved in the end. Which I just laughed...more

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Feb 10, 2013 Maddie Mcgee rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

As a fan of the show Sex and the City, as well as the newly debuted Carrie Diaries on the CW, I knew that this book was one worth reading. Even if it wasn't particularly well written, I desperatley needed to know the story of how Carrie Bradshaw came about.
The novel begins in Castlebury, Conneticut, Carrie's hometown. She lives with her father and two sisters, Missy and Dorrit. Her mother passed away several years prior to the start of the book, which opens at the beginning of Carrie's senior...more As a fan of the show Sex and the City, as well as the newly debuted Carrie Diaries on the CW, I knew that this book was one worth reading. Even if it wasn't particularly well written, I desperatley needed to know the story of how Carrie Bradshaw came about.
The novel begins in Castlebury, Conneticut, Carrie's hometown. She lives with her father and two sisters, Missy and Dorrit. Her mother passed away several years prior to the start of the book, which opens at the beginning of Carrie's senior year. The book opens with Carrie getting rejected from the summer writing program at the New School in New York City. The book continues on with the first day of senior year and her reunion with her friends Lali, Maggie, Walt and the Mouse. My favorite friend throughout the book was the Mouse, as she was the most loyal and gave Carrie the best advice. I also loved Walt. Maggie was very needy and annoying through the whole book, and at times I was very frusturated with Carrie for putting up with her. Lali never seemed like a good friend, even though she was Carrie's best friend.
Carrie also meet Sebastian Kydd, who becomes her boyfriend. You will love him, but after a date with Carrie about 150 pages in, you will hate him for behaving in a rude manner to Carrie. Carrie realizes that he's not the nicest boy, and her dad also does not like him, but Carrie cannot help but love him.
Walt was perhaps the best part of a somewhat lagging book. He had been involved in a two year relationship with Maggie when he breaks up with her. Unbeknowst to Maggie, who then develops a relationship with the editor of the school paper, Peter, Walt is gay. She, Carrie and the Mouse follow Walt, only to find out that he has been dating Randy, a former football player from their school who graduated two years before. I felt that Bushnell couldn't have handled Walt's coming-out any better, and I appulaud her for letting Walt blurt out the truth during an alcohol fueled night with his best friends. It seemed very true to life. I hated how Walt's father kicked him out, but I enjoyed Walt's plan to live in a tent in his back yard.
The worst part of the book was Lali and Sebastian. I felt that it was a good move to progress the story, but I hated that the seemingly perfect Sebastian would do that to Carrie, who the reader comes to love during the book. It is very easy to see that they would begin dating behind Carrie's back, and Bushnell could have made it a little less obvious.
Carrie's family was a somewhat annoying part of the book, and her middle sister Missy, could have been done without. The show eliminated her, and it makes more sense. Dorrit and Carrie are complete opposites. Dorrit tries to rebel and ends up stealing a car and driving it to New York City to meet up with Carrie's friend George.
Ahhh, George. He's a great character, a rich guy who give Carrie a tour of Brown University and ends up with a huge crush on her. Carrie toys with hsi feelings, going on several dates with him, even though she was dating Sebastian. George doesn't find out until he goes skiing with Carrie and he runs into one of his old friends, Amelia Kydd, Sebastian's sister, who reveals the truth. He warns Carrie about Sebastian, and I wish that she would have listened to him.
Carrie's relationship with her mother and how it shaped her is revealed. Carrie's mother died when she was 13. Her mother's favorite author was coming to town, and Carrie wanted to surprise her sick mother by getting her book signed by Mary Gordon Howard. Carrie is surprised when Mary tells her that she shouldn't be a writer, and never gives her mom the book. It is evident that Carrie and her mom had a good relationship, and she needs a female figure in her life, even saying that she never learned about "feminine wiles."
In my favorite twist of the book, George tells Carrie that he wants to read some of her work. She sends it to him, and he says that she needs to write about what she knows. Carrie gets mad at him, and he offers her an oppurtunity to meet his aunt, who is a writer. He takes her to his aunt's house and it turns out that his aunt is Mary Gordon Howard, and she remembers Carrie. This time, she likes Carrie and offers her advice.
Carrie takes the advice from George and writes what she knows. She writes a series of articles for the school paper under the alias Pinky Weatherson. The articles reveal Carrie's opinion of people at school, and they become very controversial. Carrie sends them to the New School, and this time, she gets in.
Carrie also takes a photography class and becomes friends with her "enemy" Donna LaDonna, which sets up a cute twist for the end of the novel.
This is the second time I have read this book, and I liked it much better this time. The first time I read this, I was about 13 and I had bought it a few days after it was released. I was prompted to re-read it because of the new show based upon this book, also called The Carrie Diaries.
The first 100 pages or so are slow-going, and you debate with yourself to see if this book is worthy of finishing. Both times I decided it was, and I'm glad I did. It's not the most well written book but you'll want to know what happens to Carrie and her friends. (less)

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Jan 07, 2013 Silvia is currently reading it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Carrie Diaries
Candace Bushnell

This is Carrie’s life pre-Sex in the City, where you find out how her life was during her teenage years. Carrie Bradshaw, a typical normal girl who starts senior year in a high school called Castlebury High, not expecting how much drama she’s going to have to go through. Her number one passion is writing. That’s why she has applied to a writing program in New York for the summer which she did not get in at first. This program has limited spaces and Carrie trie...more The Carrie Diaries
Candace Bushnell

This is Carrie’s life pre-Sex in the City, where you find out how her life was during her teenage years. Carrie Bradshaw, a typical normal girl who starts senior year in a high school called Castlebury High, not expecting how much drama she’s going to have to go through. Her number one passion is writing. That’s why she has applied to a writing program in New York for the summer which she did not get in at first. This program has limited spaces and Carrie tries her best to get in it plus the help of George is really helpful. George is a Brown student that Carrie’s dad wants her to date because he likes him but she doesn’t feel attracted to him therefore ends up not dating him. The use of her mom’s advice would be really helpful for Carrie, but she sadly doesn’t have that. She gets the oportunity to meet Mary Gordon, which is a famous writer. They meet at the library. There, Mary was really mean to her, but Carrie got the book signed anyways. She was going to give it to her mom who was dying of cancer, but after observing Mary’s attitude, she decided never to tell her. Growing up in Castlebury, a small suburb of Connecticut is not that easy for Carrie. Her best friends are The Mouse, Lali, Maggie and Walt. These are inseperable but they all go through rough stages aswell. Sebastian Kydd comes along, a new rebel boy that has been kicked out of private school and moved to Castlebury High. He suprisingly pays more attention to Carrie, and likes her. After Carrie’s greatest enemy, Donna LaDonna dates Sebastian, Carrie and him start dating. She falls in love with him, while he’s to busy cheating on her with someone else. That someone else someone who Carrie knows really well. Carrie even thought of loosing her virginity with him, because all her friends had, but her. After seeing how people that are suppose to be the people who love you and care about you (friends) can become enemies, an enemy can also become a friend. Even though Donna LaDonna was Carrie’s enemy, after they take a photography course together, they become closer.
Carrie gets accepted to the writing program that she wanted for the summer, thanks to some articles she wrote about her personal life for The Nutmeg (the school newspaper) that never got published. I personally liked the book a lot, and it was one of the longest books I have ever read. Its one of those books you get into a lot and can’t stop reading.
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Oct 25, 2012 Eunicejacobo rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author : Candace Bushnell
Title: Carrie Diaries
The Carrie Diaries is probably one of my top five. It s the perfect recipe for a book, it has the right amount of love and friendship, and a hint of drama, and of course boys! Instead of her original name in “Sex and The City” Carrie is Carrie no more. As an alternative she is what most of her friends call her “Bradley” in this beyond belief book “The Carrie Diaries”. In this book you have to forget everything that you have learned from Carrie in “...more

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Oct 07, 2012 Sayjil rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, contempoary, young-adult

I’m just going to come right out and admit it. I OWN THIS BOOK. If I saw this book in the bookstore, it honestly wouldn’t have been one of my choices. My sister bought it for me to read since she’s sort of a Sex and the City> fan. I must say that I expected it to be a three-star book but it wasn’t.

In most books that we read today, something far-fetched always happens. She falls in love with a perfect guy and what not. None of that hardly ever truly happens in real life let alone high school....more I’m just going to come right out and admit it. I OWN THIS BOOK. If I saw this book in the bookstore, it honestly wouldn’t have been one of my choices. My sister bought it for me to read since she’s sort of a Sex and the City> fan. I must say that I expected it to be a three-star book but it wasn’t.

In most books that we read today, something far-fetched always happens. She falls in love with a perfect guy and what not. None of that hardly ever truly happens in real life let alone high school. I honestly haven’t read a regular-average life book. That’s what was so fascinating about this book. Carrie had her “distressing problems” but they weren’t anything extraordinary.

Carrie Bradshaw is a senior. Time has come for her to choose what she wants to become in life - to chase her dream of being a writer. Since she got rejected by The New School, she starts to doubt her talent for writing. It doesn’t help that her father insists her going to Brown. Then her supposed love of her life Sebastian Kydd comes into the picture. He’s the talk of the town. Eventually Sebastian shows his charming self and they go out. She finally has the hottest guy in the school but with it comes her little problems. Will he call? Is he going to leave me? I don’t want him to leave me for that girl. Why doesn’t he care about what I want. Damn he’s a good kisser. Along with all of that Carrie clings to her relationship she has with her four friends.

Maybe this book deserved five-stars. But I couldn’t give it. I just couldn’t relate to these girls. Everything is about boys and petty problems. In real life, most girls are like that. Not me. I never cared to rotate around others. The book however, may not be exception but it was insightful. Carrie, is a regular teenager. Maybe she didn’t have a happily ever after and maybe she did. The thing was that she was able to learn from her problems. I thought that she matured as a person and as a writer here. Bushnell conveyed the one thing that most writers forget in their characters. That small wishful-thinking voice that we all have. Its there in everyone. Mine is buried deep down inside. No matter how much you try to get rid of it or deny it, fact is that its natures law to have it. You can’t exactly do anything about it except to accept the damn thing. To know is better than to not know. I am Team Realist.

Anyway, I think that the friendships this girl had was something to seriously admire about her. Carrie couldn’t say no, to anyone. In a way, I had that problem, I couldn’t say no to helping people. I overcame that quickly but I think in a way it made her feel needed. Its just way it is. To be honest this writer kept tuned to this because I was curious to know how teenagers act. I wanted to know everything. This story was so real. Especially since I am a Senior. I think I understand more about the average girl in general. They aren’t perceptive like I am, they get hurt by lots of people, they seek the elusive “one”, they like pretty things because they can’t handle ugly things and they like to be girls.The thing I liked about Carrie was that she was herself. People have the right to be a bitch if they want to be. You’re allowed to be what you want to be and no one should judge you because of it because you don’t judge them. She was who she was. I didn’t dispute the fact that she was a bitch sometimes, fact was she didn’t have a facade on. Like most people. The people we think we hate are the ones without a mask but the people we really hate are the ones masquerading. I guess she learn’t in the end that she had to be who she was and not who everyone else wants her to be. People can be malicious when you don’t fit everyones picture and when you’re yourself, it shows them you don’t give a fuck. Carrie was different in the sense that she wasn’t a follower. That’s why she was hurt and subsided from the others. In my experience leaders have a difficult road ahead. Its the determination that gets you through it. Success always lies ahead for leaders, not so sure about followers. Good book, great prose. Sometime or the other I will read Sex and the City. Maybe because somewhere along I have a bit of Carrie in me.
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Aug 15, 2012 Jillian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Anybody looking for a good summer novel (what I would call a "chick-flick" novel).

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell tells you the story of Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City before the city. You will follow Carrie through her senior year as she struggles through relationship, friendship, and family problems, all while trying to figure out her life.

Carrie is finally entering her senior year in high school, which means only one more year until she can go to the city of her dreams- New York City. She thinks this last year of school will go by smoothly, until Sebastian Ki...more

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Jul 10, 2012 Marisabel Bonet-Cruz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I saw this book for the first time, I smiled. I was happy to see it. It meant I could reunite with Carrie, even if she'd be somewhat different to the one I loved on TV. I thought I'd hate the book, to be honest, but I bought a copy nonetheless. I was happy to discover I quite enjoyed it.

This book is about Carrie before she became Carrie. She lives in the country and is very sweet and innocent. She is also used and abused by peers and boys. She looses and falls, and is victim to the stupidi...more

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Jun 30, 2012 Getting Lost In Words rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviews

The Carrie Diaries is a quirky, diluted but, accurate depiction of public high school. Gone is the experienced Carrie, from the prime-time show Sex in the City. Here to stay is the girl, living in Castlebury, who's just trying to leave high school unscathed. I enjoyed the public school setting most in this novel. I've never experienced public school for myself. Yet, I know that readers should receive a diverse perspective of schooling. Not every witty female/ male who has cool friends but strugg...more The Carrie Diaries is a quirky, diluted but, accurate depiction of public high school. Gone is the experienced Carrie, from the prime-time show Sex in the City. Here to stay is the girl, living in Castlebury, who's just trying to leave high school unscathed. I enjoyed the public school setting most in this novel. I've never experienced public school for myself. Yet, I know that readers should receive a diverse perspective of schooling. Not every witty female/ male who has cool friends but struggles in life attends private school.This sole reason is why I found the young character of Carrie to be commendable. She was quite... relate-able to my personal life. She's was a budding writer, a leader and glue among her friends, and devoted to her dreams. Like the cover, Carrie is Castlebury royalty. I can't express enough on how much I enjoyed the depth in her life. I even envied the fact that she created an alias for her writing, Pinky Weatherton.Then I realized I did too... Bones! haha

On the opposite spectrum, getting over Sebastian Kydd should be easy. His persona was a grade A jack. I've never seen a character preform such a 180. One minute, he was taking her to museums while pouring out his soul. The next he was being a douche nozzle in public. I guess that's how it happens with guys like that. I've always heard, "If a man left someone to be with you, he'll leave you to be with someone." Nonetheless, Bushnell created gold with Sebastian. His role in CD, Carrie Diaries, added color to Carrie's high school journey.

The downside of CD in my humble opinion is...... huh, guess I can't think of anything. No seriously. Not only is CD an epic read, the novel is an excellent coming of age story. Aside from school, Carrie deals with her insecurities, finding out her true friends, being bullied, sexual orientation acceptance, verbal abuse, college, rejection, and family. If I ever have female children, I'm plucking this off my giant shelves for them at around age 12.

Overall, I've received much more than I expected from the Carrie Diaries. It deserves all the stars it generally receives. How fitting to coin a novel Matt Bomer when the movie Magic Mike premieres this weekend? Here's five stars to a powerful novel about the joys of teenage-dom. Notice the sarcasm.

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Apr 05, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: chicklit, ya

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. As with all things SEX AND THE CITY these days, I am not getting the hate. I read reviews of this book before my request came through and people have so much anti re: this book because it doesn't mash with the show. I don't know if they ever read the real Sex and the City book, because the book isn't really like the show at all. I don't really like Candace Bushnell's books in general, but I did like her stab at YA. It wasn't so weirdly written and over the top and crazy as her books tend to be....more

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Apr 05, 2012 Danderma rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fan of SATC? Can’t get enough and want to soak every little detail of your beloved characters?

This book, by Candace Bushnell, is just the thing for you!

This is basically the story of Carrie Bradshaw on her last year of high school and how did she end up in NYC.

My opinion? It was an extremely easy read, very tame and innocent and moderately entertaining. While reading it I keep reminding my self that i am reading about Carrie Bradshaw and i associate SJP face to the heroin so i wouldn’t feel like...more

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Mar 30, 2012 Mindy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those into teenage stories

Sex and the City is one of my guilty pleasures. And I thought that back pedaling and reading about how this famous, iconic series started would be absolutely fantastic. Out first, I didn't know what, exactly, to expect. I thought that maybe Carrie would be some kind of diva, or a supernerd and she transformed into who she is in the world-famous series.

There were several things wrong with this book: Carrie's mother is not supposed to be dead. Carrie was supposed to have gone to prom. This Carrie...more Sex and the City is one of my guilty pleasures. And I thought that back pedaling and reading about how this famous, iconic series started would be absolutely fantastic. Out first, I didn't know what, exactly, to expect. I thought that maybe Carrie would be some kind of diva, or a supernerd and she transformed into who she is in the world-famous series.

There were several things wrong with this book: Carrie's mother is not supposed to be dead. Carrie was supposed to have gone to prom. This Carrie Bradshaw is not The Carrie Bradshaw. While this Carrie Bradshaw was clearly an all-teenage girl who was melodramatic, kept on going back to a bad boyfriend, somewhat confident, somewhat awkward, somewhat desperate. You see this Carrie Bradshaw as a teenage girl with a dream rather than The Carrie Bradshaw who we all know.

What I love about this series is that Carrie Bradshaw is a girl on a mission, she's a girl with a dream and you know right off the bat (if you've read/watched S&tC) that she won't be ending up with any boy in this story. She won't wind up taking off to spend the summer with him in France. She'll be going off to her enchanting New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. That's what I love about this whole series. It's about women who establish a name, a real career for themselves in such a big city, and then find a man at the end of it all. It's not about them chasing after boys and finding their happiness with their help. It's empowering, you know? In a way.

What I did/didn't like was the whole element of feminism. Carrie goes from idolizing to despising this author because she realizes the true meaning of being a feminist: to be equal. Among men and, more importantly, among other women. And she realizes that this author treats other women (especially women who are happy with their husbands and working as housewives) like dirt. I liked that. I know that several authors out there would have made another protagonist in another book go, "Oh! That's genius!" But I liked that the author, that Carrie, understands that this is not the meaning of being a feminist.

But I didn't like how Carrie claimed she was a feminist and then, only once, at a random time in the novel, blurted something of a feminist nature out in front of her date. It was as though Bushnell added it in as an afterthought because, otherwise, Carrie didn't truly prove herself as a feminist. That part was not needed. And I do believe, honestly, that there's a difference between successful women and feminists (like Mary Gordon Howard, in the novel). And I believe that Carrie was more of a (future) successful girl with a backbone and a bit of an attitude.

In a way, I kind of liked seeing this clumsy, somewhat flustered, somewhat awkward version of Carrie, who spends nights out with her two gay friends and shares joints amongst her other friends. It shows that the character did, eventually, evolve--perhaps thanks to a certain friend of hers, and thanks to NYC.

One thing I hated about this book: Carries' sisters. I hated the little sister, even more so after that little bit about wishing their father dead rather than their mother. To me, that was not even disrespectful. It was so disrespectful and hateful that it flew over that line of disrespectfulness. That part just really irritated me. Just thought I'd add that in. I'm also glad that Carrie laughed at Lali after that whole bit with Sebastian, and I'm glad that Lali was left with that ending. And I'm glad that Sebastian was also turned down, in the end, by Carrie--because she was off to New York City, and not even France could come in between Carrie, New York City and her dream of being a writer.

Candace Bushnell wrote a somewhat fabulous story that's somewhat strange (considering she's obviously forgot certain things from Sex and the City and those little details) coming-of-age story about a girl on a mission to chase after her dream, no matter what happens.
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Mar 05, 2012 Amanda N. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In my limited experience, it's rare for a book to have the power of crossing generational and cultural boundaries. But there are some truths that most of the population can relate to - and when it comes to the experiences of being a female in our modern world, Candace Bushnell knows how to write about it. The Carrie Diaries was recommended to me by my manager at work, who is nearly 20 years older than me. But we both found the novel to be fantastic.

Fans of Sex and the City will find The Carrie D...more

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Nov 23, 2011 Jacki rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: teen-fiction

I'm only giving this two stars because it was better than I expected it to be. I think a teen girl who really likes soap-opera type romance stories and hasn't seen Sex and the City might enjoy this book enough that she wouldn't, say, throw it at the wall or burn it.

But it's plodding and meandering plot-wise, and Carrie has no spirit, wit, or drive. She spends the entire book moping about her boyfriend, who is hot but a jerk and is obviously two-timing her. Carrie's "should I/shouldn't I" flip-fl...more

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Nov 21, 2011 Teresa Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When watching Sex and the City, the movie, have you ever wondered what the characters were like before they became adults? Well I have, which is why I was adjudicated to read this novel! Lured by the pretty cover, and a natural eagerness to read about Carrie as a teenager, I dived into the first few chapters with mixed feelings about what to expect.
In the beginning, the book gripped me. I admired how the author stayed somewhat true to Carrie's personality, and still found ways to modify the ch...more When watching Sex and the City, the movie, have you ever wondered what the characters were like before they became adults? Well I have, which is why I was adjudicated to read this novel! Lured by the pretty cover, and a natural eagerness to read about Carrie as a teenager, I dived into the first few chapters with mixed feelings about what to expect.
In the beginning, the book gripped me. I admired how the author stayed somewhat true to Carrie's personality, and still found ways to modify the character by allowing her to be a tom-boy. The novel jumped into her life, which further explained why she is so reluctant and distant from her family as an adult. Carrie spends the novel questioning relationships; worrying about friendships; developing a funky, independent sense of fashion; flirting with boys, while dating two at once; and having a fabulous time with her gay male friend. Although Carrie Bushnell tones the antics that take place in her adult books down, she still continued to include the partying, drinking, sex, and shoplifting, which is very intriguing. There are numerous amounts of themes and symbolism in The Carrie Diaries that relates to real life teenagers.
One major theme throughout the novel was ambition, and it was through Carrie's internal thoughts, that we discovered her desire and perseverance to become a great writer. The

quote, ““You have to let go of who you were to become who you will be,” (Bushnell 372), sums up Carrie’s struggle in high school to “popular” and become a phenomenal writer, at the same time. Carrie analyzes the world around her and makes sense of things through deep introspection, which is part of the reason I could relate to her. Like Carrie, I am a "small town" girl and dream of a bigger, more fabulous world! Her independence and "chic-ness" throughout the book, makes Carrie an interesting character, which causes for a better novel.
Although I enjoyed many of the characters traits, the book was not exactly up to par. There were a myriad of inconsistencies between this novel and the series. In The Carrie Diaries, we learn that Carrie grew up in an upscale Connecticut town, was the eldest of three sisters, and is the product of a loving scientist father and an inspiring homemaker mother, whom tragically abandons her. Unlike The Carrie Diaries, Carries mom was dead; Carrie was forced to take care of herself most of the time, although her Dad was there; and she did not have two sisters. I was disappointed that there were so many obvious contraries.
Although the story wasn't very 'high literature', it was still very well written, and at no point in the story were the characters bromidic. While I did not have any astounding revelations about love or womanhood; it completely reflected what life is like in high school. All in all, The Carrie Diaries was a very light read. If I did not go into it expecting it to be a true biography of Carrie Bradshaw, then I would not have been as disappointed. Hopefully the author plans on making a sequel of Carrie's teenage life, so I can be further enticed!
(less)

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Aug 26, 2011 Rita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Último ano do secundário. Bradley para os amigos, Carrie Bradshaw para o resto do mundo.

Este livro descreve o mundo de uma jovem, no último ano de secundário, inocente e pacata que sonha um dia vir a ser escritora. Orfã de mãe e com duas irmãs mais novas, Carrie enfrenta um turbilhão de problemas: familiares, pessoais, escolares and so on... Os típicos problemas da adolescência.

Colocando-se sempre à prova, ainda que num espaço pequeno, nunca pensou estar na iminência de ser atacada pela popular...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Tiffany rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was actually extremely excited to read this book when I heard of its release. Never have I ever really been a HUGE Sex and the City fan, but I did go see the movies on some girls-night-out dates with my sister and my best friend, so hearing that Bushnell had written a YA novel to satisfy the younger crowd with an introduction to Carrie before she had moved to the big city to start her sexual endeavors, I was excited. And then came the disappointment...
It was while reading an article in the fas...more I was actually extremely excited to read this book when I heard of its release. Never have I ever really been a HUGE Sex and the City fan, but I did go see the movies on some girls-night-out dates with my sister and my best friend, so hearing that Bushnell had written a YA novel to satisfy the younger crowd with an introduction to Carrie before she had moved to the big city to start her sexual endeavors, I was excited. And then came the disappointment...
It was while reading an article in the fashion magazine Glamour that I first realized this about Carrie: she is exceptionally insecure. One of the articles in the magazine is written by a man named "Jake" and he mentioned that throughout his life, he has always been surrounded by Wonder Woman types, instead of by insecure Carrie Bradshaw types. I was in the middle of reading Diaries when I came across the article, but the more I read of Diaries, the more I realized this was true.
While I did devour this book in a matter of a day and a half, I did so because there was a great part of me that wanted to be reassured that Carrie was not the sad-sack of a girl she appeared to be in the novel. For the most part, this YA fiction surrounds the notion that to be anything worth being in high school, one must have a boyfriend. And so, Carrie seeks the attention of the new boy in school, some apparently desirable boy who any girl would be lucky to have. Throughout the novel, Carrie is grappling with the decision on whether or not she should lose her virginity to Sebastian, despite the fact that she is clearly having her reservations. And for good reason: Sebastian is essentially pursuing whatever female with legs that he can. And Carrie, for the most part, is questioning why she can't seem to manage to keep a hold on her man...
I was really disappointed in Bushnell's idea of YA fiction. In an era where young girls area constantly burdened with images of skinny Hollywood starlets and told to be something that not many of them can achieve, Bushnell releases a novel that teaches us, "Hey, if the boy wants to have sex with you and you're not ready, there's clearly something wrong with you." I devoured this novel in hopes that somewhere along the line, a little ray of hope would shine through. I can say that Carrie does finally notice that she doesn't need this boy to make her happy, though she spends the majority of her name doing so angry at her friend instead of at the loser who doesn't deserve her.
Try again, Bushnell. Or save your novels for women who are a little less impressionable.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Danielle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: uhhhhhh

I thought I'd like this alot better than I did. When I first saw it, it was a excerpt in teen vogue, and i liked what I read from it, so when I saw it in the library I didn't hesitate to check it out, and by the time Sebastian hooked up with Carrie's best friend i put the book down. I was absorbed in the story for a while, but then it made me mad. And then the reason why her best friend betrayed her was because he told her "He needs me" really made me mad. Of course him cheating on her with her...more

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Jul 28, 2011 Swera83 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Before I start talking about the book, let me set this straight! I’ve never read the books “Sex & The city” and never saw the TV Show! i ONLY managed to watch the movie, 1st part! That’s it!

Finally I managed to finish this book! Not because it was boring, no not at all! But because I didnt hv much time to read! I’ve enjoyed reading this book alot, it gave me a good laugh Carrie Bradshaw is one hell of a character! You get to discover her in her teens before she makes it to New York City and...more

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About Candace Bushnell

Candace Bushnell is the critically acclaimed, international best-selling novelist whose first book, Sex and the City, was the basis for the HBO hit series and subsequent blockbuster movie. Her fourth novel, Lipstick Jungle became a popular television series on NBC. Bushnell’s novels include Four Blondes (2000), Trading Up (2003), Lipstick Jungle (2005), One Fifth Avenue (2008) and The Carrie Diari...more

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Quotes from The Carrie Diaries

“What if I'm a princess on another planet? And no one on this planet knows it?” — 152 people liked it

“In life,there are only four kinds of girls:
The girl who played with fire.
The girl who opened Pandora's Box.
The girl who gave Adam the apple.
And the girl whose best friend stole her boyfriend.” — 110 people liked it

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